REMARKS BY PEACE CORPS DIRECTOR MARK GEARAN
TO AIR FORCE ONE POOL
Aboard Air Force One
En Route To Managua, Nicaragua

10:25 A.M. EST

MR. LOCKHART: The Director of the Peace Corps, Mark Gearan, has a
few words for you, and I'll come back later.

Q We're almost done, aren't we?

MR. GEARAN: I know. This is a rare pleasure, meaning -- well, I
think the only thing I could add is the work of our Peace Corps
volunteers over the years -- 10,000 Americans have served as Peace Corps
volunteers in Central America. We have over 500 in these countries,
many working on disaster relief and some of the mitigation efforts.

But, specifically, what the President's going to be meeting with some
of our Crisis Corps volunteers, which is a new program within the Peace
Corps that was established a year and a half ago -- President Clinton
announced it -- where we send those members who have been in the Peace
Corps -- return Peace Corps volunteers -- to go back for a short-term
assignment, six months or less. It's a functional reserve, if you will,
within the Peace Corps.

So they go back to their country or region of service, because they
know the language, the people, the culture, and they're literally ready
at day one to make a difference in disaster relief. So we have many
Crisis Corps volunteers working here in Central America. Mrs. Gore
recommended sending Crisis Corps volunteers after her trip here. Mrs.
Clinton announced part of it on one of her visits, so we have many
Crisis Corps volunteers that are working here in the region.

Q Do you know how many?

MR. GEARAN: Well, we have probably about 30 now. We're sending
another group down in the next couple of months. Over the course of the
year, we expect to have 100 Crisis Corps volunteers. We have about 500
regular Peace Corps volunteers working -- regular meaning they serve for
two years. Crisis Corps is six months or less.

Q By "here" you mean Nicaragua or the region?

MR. GEARAN: The region. Central America.

Q By 500, that refers to the entire region, not to the four countries
physically that we're visiting?

MR. GEARAN: No, that refers to the four countries. Worldwide we
have 6,700 Peace Corps volunteers in 80 countries. And last Wednesday,
the House approved the Peace Corps reauthorization by a vote of 326-90,
to reauthorize the Peace Corps for four years, and allowing for its
growth to get to 10,000 volunteers, which was an important initiative
for the past year and a half. So almost by a 4-1 margin on a bipartisan
basis, we expect the Peace Corps to expand.

After the hurricanes, we sent down many more Peace Corps volunteers
here, about a 25 percent increase of volunteers to the region after the
hurricanes, to be responsive to it.

Q How many permanent volunteers do you --

Q Can you repeat that?

Q Permanent volunteers?

MR. GEARAN: We had a 25 percent increase in the region, which is 78
additional volunteers to these four countries.

Q He's not announcing any additional deployment on this trip, he's
just thanking them.

MR. GEARAN: That's correct. They'll be here and meeting with him as
part of the event here, as well as at the various arrivals at the
airports.

Q Are there any actually living in Posoltega?

MR. GEARAN: They're living in the region, and many of our presently
serving volunteers were in the region, so it's well-known to the Peace
Corps because our presence here has been significant for so many years.
We can get you a list of who they are and where they're from. I can
give you this, I'll put this in the report.